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Month: May 2014

Update 5/26: I haven’t been up to blogging for some time due to trying to work through some things with extended family members for the past month or so… Lots of things to think about and work out. Things seem to be coming together some now and I think in a few weeks, with some events coming up, there should be much more resolve. : ) I feel good about things. I have been taking pictures, I will get them up when things settle down. It could be soon or it could be another month or so. I think I’m kind of taking a break. : )

Ever since taking the medication for my significantly large hiatal hernia, I have had all symptoms cease other than when I had butter the other day which makes me still wonder if it’s the gallbladder. After the diagnosis, I took a hard look at my health. Though I am 65 lbs heavier than when we first conceived Elisabeth in 2005, I have been very content with my weight and the way I look. Previously obsessed with being skinny in my 20’s, I have been very pleased with my new look. I actually think I look better now than when I was skinny, but I used to dress very worldly – makeup, jewelry and all… I even did modeling in 1993. Over the past 10 years the Lord has transformed me by having me remove many things. He’s never had me remove something without replacing it though with something I actually love! It’s been a joy and such an experience!

So, now that I’m so pleased with how the Lord has changed my appearance, it’s time to lose weight. Time to lose weight for health. I never thought I would have to do this, never had a desire to, but I know that for my health I need to. I know that my hiatal hernia would do a lot better without all the extra pressure from my stomach. I have arthritis in my feet, particularly in my right foot. I can’t imagine how much better they would feel minus 60 lbs. I am on them all day long with the kids and do enjoy taking a good walk each day. These past months with the nausea, the horrible bloating and pains I have had have just made me feel like I’m not functioning very well. I am very health conscience with what I eat and how I feel, etc… as you can tell from my blog, so not feeling well has gotten my attention. It’s time to lose weight. I’m 44 years old and on my first medication. I don’t want things to get worst.

So, ten days ago I started a juice fast. I only did it for a day to clean out but will be buying a juicer next week. I have had a salad at lunch and a salad at dinner. I’ve lost 9 lbs in 10 days so far. Today I had a salad for lunch – I never eat breakfast, just not hungry. I had juice for dinner, then some fish broth. I am doing small fasts. Trying to keep my energy level up and trying to consume mostly raw vegetables… some cheese on the salad, olives, hemp seeds, etc… good oil. I’m not forcing anything. I am doing this day by day by prayer. If I feel hungry, I eat, if I don’t I juice. I’ve been walking each day and can’t wait for the day that I can walk and feel normal. I am excited, it’s going to be a big part of my life for the upcoming months and I’m planning for when I get to my goal and need to maintain. I have decided that when I maintain, I will continue with the 2 salads a day and just add more to that. More protein and more of what I normally eat. But, the salads and or vegetables will predominate most of my daily intake from then on.

So, juicing and salads for now = Big weight loss and better health over the next 30 or so years of quality life that I have left.

Update: Well, I had recently been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia… now after this morning’s procedure they say it’s of a good size. They will be starting me on Omneprazole which I will take, but I still think it’s a gallbladder problem because hiatal hernias may cause acid but not pain. I’ll see how my symptoms are in 6 weeks – they should be completely gone if that’s the only problem. The surgeon assured me of this as he has acid reflux and a hiatal hernia for 30 years now. He’s symptom free taking the Omneprazole… so, we’ll see…. : )

Some of you may know that I have had troubles with what I believe is my gallbladder since, strangely, Matthew got his removed in November of 2012. I had a HIDA scan a few weeks ago that came back pretty normal but for many who have the same symptoms when they inject the substance into the vein as I did, it means a gallbladder problem. So, though it came back fine (82% functional) because I felt very sick and in pain when injected every 5 minutes for 1/2 hour, my doctor sent me to talk to the surgeon today.

Disappointment – The surgeon thinks I have acid reflux. Oh no, not this again! My husband in 2012 was misdiagnosed for months until his liver count went from normal being 40 or less to over 800. What should have been a in and out in a day surgery cost him 9 days in the hospital because he was so infected they couldn’t operate.

Today I keep thinking of this because I have been in pain with nausea for 9 hours now. It is not an acute, piercing pain as my husband had, just wretching in my middle stomach.

Good news? They will be doing an endoscopy tomorrow morning. Maybe something here, but I’m not betting on it. An endoscopy is where they put you to sleep and put a tube with a camera down your throat. My husband had this done as well and they did find back in 2012 that he had Barretts Esophagus, a precancerous condition of the esophagus. Thank God they found it because he has been taking Omneprazole since for the stomach acid and with his last endoscopy (once a year now), he no longer has Barrett’s Esophagus. His friend died a few years ago from cancer of the esophagus so we have been pretty nervous about his condition until the good news recently.

So, back in 2012 they told my husband he had acid reflux, Barrett’s Esophagus and constipation while he was really going down hill with a bad gallbladder. I just have a feeling that they will put me on Omneprazole while I continue to get worst until they can’t miss it….

I just want to feel healthy again. I feel sick and nauseated and discomfort nearly every day now. I don’t share much on such things unless I need to. I like to share on good things, healthy living, etc… but this is starting to interfere with my life some now. Please pray that they can diagnose my gallbladder quickly or anything else soon. Nine hours in one day is tiring. Hopefully I’ll have some good news in a day or two. We’ll see…

I love eating healthy. Even if it means eating things that most people would find disgusting… Even my husband who used to eat Recess Peanut Butter Cups, Cokes and coffee all the day long before we met, has switched over (and loves) my icky food. : ) Bitter dandelion greens, fresh from the yard. Hmmm, not too bad yet!

Fish broth from the trout from the lake. We include the fish heads too…. Hmm, it’s starting to get ugly.

What is it???

Fried Fish Livers. Yes, we got brave this year and have fried the fish livers in butter and sea salt. They are delicious and very nourishing. I feel like going for a walk already!

Tabitha has been sick with tummy problems all week. She is doing well now and regaining her strength just fine.

Tabitha just loves this little bear with the lamb ears. She loves to be held all day long too… If daddy isn’t holding or carrying her, mommy is. Here, I finally got to take a picture of her being content without either one of us. : )

Just look at the cute, little baby turtles we found swimming up to our beach today. We had fun observing them and making them a box with sand, water and a rock in it. We added a little cooked fish too. We will be putting them back into their natural environment tomorrow morning. So tiny! They get to be a good size later on. We saw (and caught) a couple of them last year fully grown. Their shell gets to be as big as my entire hand. While driving to the store last year, one was walking across the street – I had to stop and pick him up and take him to the store with me (leaving him in the car), so I could put him back in the lake before he would get squashed. Beautiful markings…

Here’s the opening day of fishing season. We had two or three boats out in front throughout the day.

The afternoon catch. We already had 3 in the fridge from the morning. See how big some of the trout get?

They kind of look like salmon to me…

Hannah caught this fish. She’s a good fisher girl. She even knows how to cast out.

Pup’s holding the smallest trout. She caught a good sized one too though.

Two huge trout from Lake Wannacut. Beautiful, healthy eating. I have learned to de-bone mine on my plate nearly perfect in about a minute and a half. I make a butter, garlic and malt vinegar sauce to pour over the cleaned fish.